Serial killers of the small screen

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Fox; FX; AMC

With the debut of NBC's "Hannibal," one more serial killer is joining the ever-swelling ranks of the once-neglected character archetype on TV. Serial killers used to be restricted to cinematic thrillers and the last few minutes of the occasional "Law & Order." But increasingly, they're...

With the debut of NBC's "Hannibal," one more serial killer is joining the ever-swelling ranks of the once-neglected character archetype on TV. Serial killers used to be restricted to cinematic thrillers and the last few minutes of the occasional "Law & Order." But increasingly, they're... (Fox; FX; AMC)

Killer: Dr. Hannibal Lecter, played by Mads Mikkelsen, is a forensic psychiatrist who is also a killer. Modus operandi: He eats his victims -- you know, fava beans, chianti, the whole bit. Still at large? Yes, and watching him help the police while also killing people will be the great fun of...

Killer: Dr. Hannibal Lecter, played by Mads Mikkelsen, is a forensic psychiatrist who is also a killer. Modus operandi: He eats his victims -- you know, fava beans, chianti, the whole bit. Still at large? Yes, and watching him help the police while also killing people will be the great fun of... (NBC)

Killer: Billy Grimm, played by Robert Knepper, is the leader of the cult. Modus operandi: So who is in the cult? They are rabid fans of a thriller TV show titled "The Cult," who are inclined to re-create the crimes they see depicted on the show. Still at large? Yes, but Matt Davis, pictured...

Killer: Billy Grimm, played by Robert Knepper, is the leader of the cult. Modus operandi: So who is in the cult? They are rabid fans of a thriller TV show titled "The Cult," who are inclined to re-create the crimes they see depicted on the show. Still at large? Yes, but Matt Davis, pictured... (Jack Rowand / The CW)

Killer: Joe Carroll, played by James Purefoy, is an Edgar Allan Poe scholar who murdered girls in the poet's honor -- until he was caught and imprisoned. Modus operandi: Carroll once did his own Poe-inspired dirty work, but since being jailed, it appears he is using the Internet and social...

Killer: Joe Carroll, played by James Purefoy, is an Edgar Allan Poe scholar who murdered girls in the poet's honor -- until he was caught and imprisoned. Modus operandi: Carroll once did his own Poe-inspired dirty work, but since being jailed, it appears he is using the Internet and social... (Fox)

Killer: Jack the Ripper? Modus operandi: Gutting with a knife is preferred, but the victims in London's East End meet all sorts of ghastly demises. Still at large? The real Jack the Ripper was never apprehended, and this series picks up six months after the killing of the Ripper's supposed...

Killer: Jack the Ripper? Modus operandi: Gutting with a knife is preferred, but the victims in London's East End meet all sorts of ghastly demises. Still at large? The real Jack the Ripper was never apprehended, and this series picks up six months after the killing of the Ripper's supposed... (Jonathan Hession / BBC America)